Prodigal Son
by American Wings
Summary: Contains OftP spoilers! Percy swallows his pride and returns home, but some are not so quick to forgive.


***DISCLAIMER*** I do not own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with the series. JKR does and may I say she is quite an amazing author! Oh yeah, WB owns a bit also. But not me. I'm not trying to make a profit.  
  
Contains spoilers. Many many spoilers.  
  
SUMMARY: Right after OftP, Percy picks himself up and goes to reconcile with his mother, but some are not ready to forgive.  
  
First of all, I'd like to take a moment of silence for our dearly departed friend, Sirius Black. *tear*  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Prodigal Son  
  
By AmericanAngel  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Percy read and reread the minister's statement as well as the other articles in the Sunday Prophet. He saw how they were again hailing Harry Potter as the savior of the wizarding world instead of an insane teenager making up stories to obtain attention. Angry, he threw his paper across the room.  
  
"It's not fair," he mumbled, "I worked so hard to get where I am and I believed everything the minister told me. I lost so much along the way."  
  
He stood and started pacing around the room. How could he have been so stupid as to not realize the truth in his parents' words? How could he have questioned Dumbledore, who had always been such a help to him?  
  
Of course, he wasn't the only one. No, the majority of the wizarding world had thought Dumbledore was a cracked old fool for the past year, but he hadn't done anything to stop it even though deep down inside he knew that Dumbledore was right.  
  
Rather, he had helped Fudge and his bureaucracy to hide the evidence which, when he looked back upon it all, was glaringly clear that You-Know- Who had returned.  
  
He realized too that the people fueling Fudge's resentment of Dumbledore were former Death Eaters: Malfoy most of all, but also McNair, Crabbe, and Goyle. The dementor attack and the escape of the ten prisoners were also indicators of the rise of You-Know-Who, yet he hadn't stopped long enough to really consider what was happening and look at the big picture.  
  
He looked around his flat, his boring empty flat. It consisted of three rooms: a kitchen, a family room, and a bedroom with adjoining bathroom. All the furniture was there for utility, the decorations all bought; there were no pictures, save those of his girlfriend Penelope. He snorted as he thought of the word "family" for he had no more family, not anymore.  
  
"It's my entire ruddy fault," he told himself as he resumed pacing once again.  
  
Family; that word evoked so many memories within Percy's soul. He thought about his loving mother and father, about his five brothers, and his baby sister. He thought about all the time he had spent trying to make them into model children for his parents, but was it all in vain?  
  
Fred and George still ended up the same, and he had no idea how Ron was holding up, the same with Ginny. He assumed Ron was still friends with Harry as he and Ginny had been with Harry the week before at the Ministry when all saw that You-Know-Who really had returned.  
  
Then there were Bill and Charlie, his older brothers, both of whom were part of the Order of the Phoenix. Why was he, Percy, so different from his entire family? They all fought hard for what they believed in, but Percy had been working to better himself and improve his position; he hadn't thought about the good of anyone else.  
  
He snorted again, "I should have been in Slytherin." Yet, did he still have some fragment of bravery? There must have been a reason the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor. He had betrayed his family, but couldn't he go back and beg for forgiveness?  
  
He shook his head, "No, they won't accept me. They'll throw me back into the street. They have no reason to bring me back into their home."  
  
Again, he paced about his small little flat, getting from one side to the other in forty-five seconds flat. This was no way to live, alone, ignoring his father each time he saw him. But how could he ask for forgiveness when he had been so awful? How could he believe that they would love him once again?  
  
"Maybe, just maybe Mum will forgive me," he thought suddenly. He was fairly certain his father would not; their row had been too intense, but his mother, there was an idea.  
  
He paced for another five minutes before finding his shoes. Even after he put them on, he hesitated. Shaking his head, he swallowed his pride and Apparated to the Burrow where knocked on the door and stood there shifting his weight nervously.  
  
* * *  
  
Mrs. Weasley was cooking a dinner of shepherd's pie for her family. They had returned to the Burrow from King's Cross three days previously and this was the first time that they had all been able to be together: Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and herself. She almost counted Percy, but with a pang realized that he was still at his flat somewhere in London. She had heard nothing of her third son in months, not since he sent back the hand-knitted jumper she had made.  
  
"Fred! George! Bill!" she called up into the house, "Come put these tables together in the garden. Ginny and Ron can set the table."  
  
"Alright, Mum!" she heard the chorus of five voices coming from different parts of the house and then the thundering of feet down the stairs. She heard a crash from Fred and George's room, but then a voice called down to reassure her.  
  
"Don't worry, Mum! It's supposed to do that!"  
  
She rolled her eyes, but said nothing and bent down to remove the pie from the oven. She sent seven plates and seven sets of tableware out from the drawers onto the kitchen table and her two youngest took them outside to set the table after Bill took it to the garden.  
  
She was about to walk out to the garden with the pie when she heard a knock at the door. Frowning, she set it on the table nearby and walked to the door, still wearing her apron.  
  
* * *  
  
Percy stared at the door and watched it open, smelling his mother's shepherd's pie as she opened the door. She gasped and brought her hands to her mouth in shock.  
  
"Percy?" she said hesitantly.  
  
He spoke slowly, "Hello, Mum. I'm sorry that I'm here, it must be almost time for dinner, but I have something to say."  
  
She nodded in bewilderment and found that she could not speak.  
  
The words tumbled out of Percy's mouth and he started to pace once again, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I've been such a git this past year. I don't even know why, I guess I just didn't want to believe that he was back. I was working for myself and only thinking about what would help me. You and Dad have every right to push me out of this house and never speak to me again, heck, I have no right to be your son or be part of this family. You are all so brave, loving, and thoughtful of others; all I am is a selfish and cold git. I just wanted to come and tell you I was sorry. I guess I'll leave now, it smells like you have dinner ready."  
  
He turned and walked away from the door, but his mother called, "Percival Ignatius Weasley! Get back here this instant!"  
  
He whipped around and before he could say anything found himself swept into a hug by his mother's arms without having any idea what had happened.  
  
"Mum?" he squeaked.  
  
"Oh, Percy, I've missed you so much!" she said into his chest as she began to soak his chest with tears, "You have no idea how much you put your father and I through this past year, but that doesn't matter. I love you, and your father loves you, and we forgive you. We've wanted you to come home for so long."  
  
He opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a loud slap on his cheek.  
  
He lifted his arm to touch it, "Mum! What was that for?"  
  
She started crying again, "Percy, why didn't you come see your father in the hospital? He could have died! You might have never gotten the chance to tell him how much you love him! Don't you ever do that to us again!"  
  
Percy slowly nodded, "I'm sorry, Mum, I'm sorry. Thank you so much for forgiving me; I don't deserve it at all."  
  
She took his hand and they walked into the house, "Arthur! Boys! Ginny! Percy is home!"  
  
The thundering of footsteps was heard again as the entire family ran to the kitchen to see Percy and he apologized to all of them. Tears were shed and hugs were shared. Another chair was conjured to the garden for Percy to sit in for dinner and the family, minus Charlie, sat for dinner. However, all was not well with every member.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron trudged upstairs after dinner, skipping dessert; it wasn't fair! Percy had been awful to the entire family, yet he was welcomed back into the family with open arms. His mother gave him his sweater, which she had saved, and his father started talking to him about work as though nothing had happened. Bill had embraced him and Fred and George had played their usual tricks, yet they weren't any worse than normal. Ginny was the only one besides himself who seemed unaffected by Percy's return, yet she was still down at the table talking and laughing with the others.  
  
He opened his trunk and sifted through it until he found his Transfiguration homework; it wasn't much fun, but he could think of nothing else to do. He had sent Pig with a letter for Harry that morning and he had not yet returned with Harry's answer.  
  
Ron sat on the bed blankly looking through the book, though not processing any of the information, when his father came upstairs and sat next to him.  
  
"Feeling alright there, Ron?" he asked him slowly.  
  
Ron nodded, "I'm fine, Dad."  
  
Mr. Weasley gave him an odd look, "Well, you aren't acting it. Why didn't you have dessert? It was your mother's treacle pudding; you love your mother's treacle pudding."  
  
Ron shrugged, "I wasn't hungry I guess."  
  
Mr. Weasley didn't take his eyes off of his son, "Does it have anything to do with Percy?"  
  
Ron shook his head, but then after another look from his dad agreed, "Yes, I suppose it does. Dad, how can all of you just forgive him like that? He sold us out! He turned against us and aided the enemy! He was horrible to both you and Mum, and tried to split me apart from Harry!"  
  
Mr. Weasley sighed, "Ron, you have to learn how to forgive."  
  
Ron snorted, "What if I don't want to forgive? What if I think that Percy doesn't deserve it?"  
  
"Well, of course he doesn't deserve it," Mr. Weasley retorted.  
  
Ron stared at him in bewilderment, "What? Did you just say that Percy doesn't deserve forgiveness? Well then, why did you forgive him?"  
  
Mr. Weasley replied, "Son, does anyone deserve to be forgiven? Honestly?"  
  
Ron thought about this for a minute, and then shook his head, "No, I suppose not."  
  
"But why do we forgive them? Because it's not healthy to hold resentment inside. Resentment splits us apart where we should be joined. We cannot hope to defeat the enemy while we hate one another inside, especially since we are family. You have to forgive Percy, Ron, he's your brother and he is truly sorry," Mr. Weasley clapped his son on the back and returned down to his family sitting at the table in the garden.  
  
Ron sat on his bed and thought about what his father had said, and then went downstairs.  
  
* * *  
  
Percy sighed; Ron had left the table abruptly and he knew that he was angry with him, and with good reason! Still, he wished to make up with his littlest brother and longed for his forgiveness. He sat with his family for an hour or so, until his father went inside the house, presumably to talk with Ron. He returned a half hour later and sat down again, exchanging a look with his mother but saying nothing.  
  
A while later, Percy checked the time, "Mum, I have to go home. I have work tomorrow. Well, thank you all again. I'm so sorry for what I did to you."  
  
They all assured him of his forgiveness and hugged him once again before he walked into the house to gather his shoes and Apparate back to his flat. He was just about to walk out onto the front step when he heard footsteps on the stairs.  
  
"Percy!"  
  
He whipped around and saw his brother, "Ron?"  
  
The tall, gangly sixteen-year-old wizard came down the stairs and stood by his brother. He was about the same height, possibly taller, but his hair was a shocking red as opposed to Percy's soft orange.  
  
"Percy, I just wanted to tell you that I forgive you," Ron started slowly; "I know you don't deserve it, but I want to forgive you anyway because you are my brother and I love you."  
  
Percy nodded, "Thank you, I'm so sorry that I tried to split you apart from Harry. That was way out of line. I'm sorry."  
  
Ron shook his head, "Don't worry mate, it's alright. I didn't listen to you."  
  
Percy laughed, "Well, at least you didn't listen to me. I'm sorry, Ron, but I have to get going. Maybe you can stop over at my flat and help me redecorate?"  
  
Ron grinned, "Sure, why not. I'll talk to you soon, Perce."  
  
Percy nodded, "See you later, Ron."  
  
* * *  
  
Ron watched his brother disappear into thin air and grinned; he felt warm and healed inside after forgiving him, and he knew that his family was whole again. Maybe there was a hope for the wizards against You-Know-Who. If all were united, how could they be defeated?  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Fin. This is a one-shot, so there won't be any other chapters. The idea just came to me because JKR didn't resolve the Percy issue at the end of OftP.  
  
As a result of new information from OftP, I'll be changing some parts of "How Many Ways" (it's kind of hard to write a scene with Sirius when he's . . . well . . . you know), not major parts, very minor. I'll also be doing some outtakes, and there is a sequel in the works.  
  
I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!!! Have a great summer!!!  
  
~AmericanAngel 


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